Beware… I’ll Google you !

In the spirit of pristine crystal clear transparency: I will Google you. If you’re anywhere remotely near me, I already did. And I will again. The articles you wrote six years ago, that embarrassing picture with the dolphin and the frozen margarita, your funky status updates on a dozen social networks, your job-hopping on LinkedIn, and what your ex is eloquently writing about you on the blog my.six.years.in.hell.com… I’ve seen it all.

I’m just very good at keeping a straight face. Seriously. I’m Googling you. And so is everyone else you’ll meet. Your HR director. The headhunter you’re talking to. Your colleagues. Your future employers. Is that a little drip of sweat on your brow now? You thought you hid the ghosts from your past that well?

Reppler (www.reppler.com) thinks it can help you. The (for the moment still free) service continuously tracks and monitors your online social-networking reputation… well, on Facebook that is. Reppler is designed to keep a frowning eye on you, and manages the content you post. It monitors your privacy settings, and watches everything that that uncontrolled tribe you call friends post with your name on it. Reppler cries wolf every time it detects something that might jeopardize that precious reputation of yours. In short, Reppler wants to be your online conscience, bodyguard and guardian angle.

But here is my advice. Forget Reppler. Forget any digital service to manage your reputation. Your best chance in keeping you in check… is you. Be smart. Think twice before posting, educate your friends on how to behave, and educate them on their tagging behavior. Remove tags from pictures you’re not happy with. Ask friends to post pictures privately. Take your own online reputation seriously.

And learn to live with some mistakes. We all had off-weeks, bad hair days, and embarrassing moments. It’s not the end of the world, even if there are online traces…